Houston, we have a problem. Elementary students try to hijack their school bus. I kind of question this, after "the knife was removed from the juvenile's possession" they were driven to school and taken into custody. Excuse me? Why weren't they taken into custody at the scene?

January 18, 2005

Do you believe that we will outgrow our dependence on oil for energy through technology? Maybe this would be a step in that direction.

Scientists have invented a plastic solar cell that can turn the sun's
power into electrical energy, even on a cloudy day.

The plastic material uses nanotechnology and contains the first solar
cells able to harness the sun's invisible, infrared rays. The
breakthrough has led theorists to predict that plastic solar cells
could one day become five times more efficient than current solar cell
technology.

Like paint, the composite can be sprayed onto other materials and used
as portable electricity. A sweater coated in the material could power a
cell phone or other wireless devices. A hydrogen-powered car painted
with the film could potentially convert enough energy into electricity
to continually recharge the car's battery.

January 15, 2005

It's frightening to me how thin the line can be between living an average life, and making One Bad Decision that can change everything for the worse, temporarily or forever. I think the possibility that a wrong turn can seriously screw your life up for a good long time is hidden from the young. For them it's inconceivable. On the flip side, it's the knowledge of the same possibility of making that One Bad Decision that gives parents nightmares.

As a parent you know your kid can get into a car with the wrong person just once and end up dead. You know that your kid could be careless one time or follow the wrong crowd, because all of us have made stupid decisions at one time or another. Most of the time the worst case doesn't happen. Maybe it's the fact that we've made bad decisions and lived to tell the tale that we sometimes fail to seriously consider the consequences or the possible outcomes of our actions, even if we know what we're doing isn't exactly the "right" thing to do.

Desicanuk, (not his real name), a college junior in pre-med and Mac aficionado, received a Beta copy of Apple's new OS, Tiger. He was given free access to Apple's developer site. You know those legal agreements that pop up whenever you install anything? Naturally since developers have access to a company's intellectual property, a Non Disclosure Agreement was included in the sign up process.

Then came that life changing decision. Desicanuk went to a closed Mac users site and uploaded the file. The upload was interrupted by a moderator who'd received a letter from Apple legal. But it was too late. The damage had been done.

Apple has filed suit against Desicanuk and two others. They are seeking a jury trial, an injunction against further distribution, and damages. In other words, this kid is in it deep. He can look forward to legal bills, headaches, and possibly worse.

This
is a tricky question to answer. In all honesty, I assumed that it
wouldn't be a big deal if I shared this with like minded mac fans. From
what I understood, other pre-releases were being uploaded to the site,
so I figured mine wouldn't be any different.

Obviously he's since discovered it is indeed a very big deal.

I'm not defending Desicanuk. Protecting intellectual property is vital to businesses being able to function in the marketplace. What he did was wrong. (A fact he now acknowledges.) There should be legal consequences.

Yet, I hope the lawsuit can be resolved to Apple's satisfaction without destroying this guy's life long term.

Maybe it's the parent in me. The thought of making that One Bad Decision and the thin line between a normal life or lots of sorrow is a theme my mind has dwelt on. Because you can't be there to hold their hand every minute. You can't make their decisions for them. You don't have any guarantee that a life won't spin out of control.

The best you can do is to point out the hazards in life. To teach them right from wrong. To warn them of the consequences of One Bad Decision. Then pray when you send them out into the world.

January 12, 2005

The way buzz spreads when there's a new Apple product, you'd almost think that us Mac heads are plugged into a wireless network allowing Apple to beam new product releases directly into the forefront of our conciousness. Why is it a company with a reportedly miniscule market share of total PC sales, has so many users to represent it in the blogosphere? Keep in mind, the links here represent just a sampling from local bloggers.

On to the products themselves. First the Mac mini. I wasn't too impressed when the rumor was leaked that Apple was coming out with a machine for $499 with no monitor and no keyboard. Now I'm won over by the 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" x 2" size. I think people will love the portability.

On to the iPod Shuffle. I want one. For my needs I couldn't see buying an iPod, but $99 for this sounds "just right" in the words of Goldilocks, and it's tiny. Kids who've wanted an iPod can afford it now too.

So, here's what I find really really frightening. Our family has been Mac only since 1984. Any long time Apple customer has become accustomed to the naysayers and has even been trained to dismiss Apple's moves themselves. "They're doing what?" This time we all seem to be saying, "Wow. This could be a good thing." To top it off, Apple blew away earning estimates reporting $295 million for the quarter ending Dec. 25 compared to $63 million a year ago.

What does it all mean??? I'm so confused. It reminds me of being a democrat and having my worldview challenged by the red states.

I did manage a little sigh of relief when Cavuto had someone on to bash these two as the wrong move for Apple. Whew! I can hang on to my Napolean complex a little longer.

December 26, 2004

What Child is this who, laid to rest
On Mary’s lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
Haste, haste, to bring Him laud,
The Babe, the Son of Mary.Merry Christmas and God's Blessings!